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Maverick Balotelli tired of being in 'eye of cyclone'

October 15, 2013 09:59 IST

Mario Balotelli is tired of being in the eye of a hurricane, the president of the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) said on Monday after the maverick international became embroiled in another row.

"It's a demanding period for Mario and we have to understand the media pressure on him is excessive," Giancarlo Abete told RAI radio, a day after the AC Milan forward allegedly pushed away a television camera during a media scrum at Naples railway station.

Maverick Balotelli tired of being in ‘eye of cyclone’"He can't take one step, or write one word, without it being interpreted in any number of different ways. He's a bit tired of always being in the eye of the cyclone.

"He's a 23-year-old lad who needs to grow and improve but the pressure on him is too great."

There were chaotic scenes as Italy arrived in Naples by high-speed train on Sunday evening for their World Cup qualifier at home to Armenia on Tuesday.

The squad were greeted by a media scramble at the station and Balotelli, who has a habit of getting involved in controversial incidents, appeared to push away a TV camera after it apparently clipped him on the arm as he walked by.

The striker, who missed Friday's 2-2 draw in Denmark due to illness, is serving a three-match domestic ban after insulting the referee at the end of the 2-1 home defeat by Napoli.

Italy have already qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Image: Mario Balotelli

Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Source: REUTERS
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